Those Nights
by 2theSky
Summary: Cat and his father are two different people... right? (Title from Skillet's "Those Nights")


**"I remember when we used to laugh about nothing at all- it was better than going mad from trying to solve all the problems we're going through. Forget 'em all, 'cause on those nights we would stand and never fall. Together, we faced it all..."**

An ice cold heart.

More than that. As every shattered piece of memory slowly connected with some seemingly unrelated other, it became clear that beneath Thorne's icy exterior and relatively frozen eyes, was a heart of solid stone. His core was nothing but twisting and churning hatred.

There was no love.

There was no compassion.

There was... nothing. Not even for his own son.

And Cat... how many memories were unfurling that consisted of his father's icy stare and his sadistic actions? True, he had yet to recollect the shards of the memory from his father leaving him for dead. No one knew the full extent of what he was forced to relive every night when he closed his eyes, his eyes that happened to be exact replicas of the ones his father had.

But no- Cat's eyes, Griffin Lejon Thorne's eyes, were far different from Bartholomew Thorne's. No matter how identical the hue of their eyes, they were nowhere near identical in the amount of hatred burning inside. Cat's eyes weren't constantly ignited with fury; Thorne's were, and only flickered out in death. Unfortunately.

**"Remember when we'd stay up late and we'd talk all night in a dark room lit by the TV light? Through all the hard times in my life, those nights kept me alive..."**

And Anne... she didn't even know the majority of it, yet she knew far more than most. But she hadn't seen his nightmares; any scar on others, the mere sight of a whip, a long glance in the mirror- anything could be a catalyst, and his memories came trickling back in, at a painfully slow rate.

It was too much at times; sometimes Cat could just fall to his knees and clutch his head, wishing for a break in the mental storm.

Why did Thorne have to haunt him?

**"We'd listen to the radio play all night. Didn't want to go home to another fight. Through all the hard times in my life, those nights kept me alive..."**

True, he was nothing like his father, but... he knew some members of the crew still, he knew deep down, were skeptical of him. Hadn't his habit of risking his life at every turn convinced them yet? After more than two years with them...

they still doubted who he was?!

**"I remember when we used to drive anywhere but here, as long as we'd forget our lives. We were so young and confused that we didn't know to laugh or cry. ****Those nights were ours- they will live and never die. Together, we'd stand forever..."**

Everyone saw him differently... sadly. He wasn't his father!

He still had good nights. Nights when nothing plagued his dreams and attacked his exhaustion. Nights when he got a chance to spar or joke around with someone. Nights... when newer, better memories would be born.

**"I remember when we used to laugh. And now I wish those nights would last..."**

The scars on his back weren't the most painful part, no matter how many would assume that. True, they hurt, but... they didn't hurt at much as his father's words.

But was it worth dwelling on them, on the words of a dead man? The words that cut him deeply?

Maybe...

Maybe it was time for an amnesiac to forget more than what was already forgotten.

**"Remember when we'd stay up late and we'd talk all night in a dark room lit by the TV light? Through all the hard times in my life, those nights kept me alive. ****We'd listen to the radio play all night. Didn't want to go home to another fight. Through all the hard times in my life, those nights kept me alive..."**

Yes.

Time to shove the horrors from his father into the deepest, darkest corner of his mind. Thorne was dead.

His lack of compassion, his heartless soul, his chaotic thinking, his labyrinth of nightmares-

all had gone with him.

**"There's nothing wrong..."**

Two different people.

Maybe people would see it some day. And maybe Cat would stop doubting that fact...

* * *

_-so, this is different from stuff i usually write... and really short... but i couldn't sleep so... ;) (seriously, Isle of Swords and Isle of Fire are amazing!)  
_

_have a good day and God bless! :)_

_(lyrics from Skillet "Those Nights")_


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